ANAHEIM : City OKs Sale of Site for Two Historic Homes After Vandals Strike

A day after two historic homes owned by developer Ron Waltz were repeatedly vandalized, the City Council on Tuesday approved the sale of city-owned land for the homes’ new site.

The homes, built in the 1850s, were broken into three times Monday, police said, and damage from the vandalism was estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.

During the third break-in, Waltz said, he confronted the vandals and fired a shot into the house after a plate-glass window--made before the Civil War--was smashed in front of him.

“It was unbelievable,” Waltz said. “Why would someone come back three times? It was like they were crazy. It was like a vigil to them.”

Police Lt. Ted Labahn said officers are investigating.

“We’ve made no arrests and I can’t comment on (Waltz’s) firing of the gun,” Labahn said.

The homes have already been moved to their new site at Lincoln Avenue and Rose Street, on seven-tenths of an acre that the city agreed Tuesday to sell to Waltz for $70,000.

The homes, which have been on blocks, will be restored over the next nine months.

After the council approved the sale, as well as concept drawings and landscape plans, Mayor Tom Daly commented on the vandalism.

“We share your grief about vandalism that occurred to those beautiful old homes,” Daly said.

“We hope we will be able to prevent any further problems like that.”

The vandals were described by Waltz and other witnesses as “skinheads,” but Labahn said police have no proof of that.

“We have nothing that would indicate that there is any gang involvement,” Labahn said.

“At this point, it isn’t anything other than malicious mischief.”